by Keith Hunt

A man was left cut and bruised with part of his ear missing after he was chased in his car and then thrown into a fish tank.

Shane Jestin-Cull and his partner Lauren Trundle took terrifying revenge on Richard Winter over a failed relationship.

Trundle struck the victim with a snooker cue and Jestin-Cull helped hurl him into the tank, causing it to smash.

An unknown thug bit a chunk out of Mr Winter's left ear.

Now Trundle, 22, and 26-year-old Jestin-Cull, of Wykeham Grove, Leeds, Maidstone, have each been jailed for five years.

They denied causing grievous bodily harm with intent but were convicted by a jury.

Recorder Simon Taylor QC told them they had acted with a "degree of brutality" which was unleashed at Mr Winter's home in Parkwood, Maidstone.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Mr Winter had four months earlier split up from Trundle's sister and she and Jestin-Cull became involved in the matter.

Allister Walker, prosecuting, said the victim was in his Peugeot car with his girlfriend on May 31 2009 when they were overtaken by Trundle and Jestin-Cull in their Subaru car.

They made hand gestures at Mr Winter and tried to block in his car. He managed to drive around them but they continued the chase and were joined by a BMW.

Mr Winter drove on a roundabout the wrong way in his bid to escape. He managed to make it home to Highcroft Green, but the chase continued on foot.

"It was obvious these defendants and others meant business," said Mr Walker.

"They were intent on teaching Mr Winter a lesson for whatever reason."

Mr Winter armed himself with a snooker cue but pleaded with his pursuers that he did not want trouble.

He dropped the cue and Trundle picked it up and beat him over the head with it several times.

Mr Winter retreated into his home but the attackers followed. Jestin-Cull picked up a guitar and struck him with it.

The other man took a chunk out of his ear. The three threw him head first into the tank.

Trundle then called off the assault, saying: "That's enough boys."

The victim was treated at Maidstone Hospital and then Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead.

He had a deformed left ear, a fractured wrist and cuts to his head.